Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific

Abstract The modern western Pacific basins and arcs formed during the Cenozoic are considered to be underlain by Indian‐type asthenospheric mantle. Nevertheless, Mesozoic volcanic arcs are rare in the western Pacific, and as a result, the nature of the mantle source and subduction history in the wes...

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Main Authors: Guoliang Zhang, Ji Zhang, Hayden Dalton, David Phillips
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-09-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010424
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author Guoliang Zhang
Ji Zhang
Hayden Dalton
David Phillips
author_facet Guoliang Zhang
Ji Zhang
Hayden Dalton
David Phillips
author_sort Guoliang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The modern western Pacific basins and arcs formed during the Cenozoic are considered to be underlain by Indian‐type asthenospheric mantle. Nevertheless, Mesozoic volcanic arcs are rare in the western Pacific, and as a result, the nature of the mantle source and subduction history in the western Pacific remains unclear. The Gagua Ridge constitutes the western boundary of the Philippine Sea Plate; however, its geologic nature and genesis are unclear. Here, we determine whole‐rock major and trace elements and Sr‐Nd‐Pb‐Hf‐Mg isotopic compositions and emplacement ages of the volcanic rocks from the Gagua Ridge. These rocks are classified as trachy‐andesites and basaltic andesites. They are characterized by depletion in Nb‐Ta and enrichment in large ion lithosphile elements, confirming their arc affinity. 40Ar‐39Ar analyses of plagioclase yields ages of 124‐123 Ma for the basaltic andesite group and ∼115 Ma for the trachy‐andesite group. The elevated Zr‐Hf‐K of these rocks coupled with high Th/La ratios indicate melting of subducted sediments. The anomalously high Nb/Ta (mean ∼33) can be explained by slab melting with residual rutile. These rocks also show the highest δ26Mg (−0.14 to 0.4‰) for arc lavas ever reported and the δ26Mg values are coupled with rare earth element compositions, which can be explained by interaction of sediment melts with altered peridotite/altered oceanic crust in the subduction zone. These volcanic rocks have Nd‐Hf isotopes similar to the Pacific mantle, indicating the presence of Pacific‐type mantle in the Early Cretaceous western Pacific.
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spelling doaj.art-a3049531b6954596a8c862db461163f92023-11-03T17:00:51ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272022-09-01239n/an/a10.1029/2022GC010424Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western PacificGuoliang Zhang0Ji Zhang1Hayden Dalton2David Phillips3Center of Deep Sea Research Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaCenter of Deep Sea Research Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences Qingdao ChinaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville VIC AustraliaSchool of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences The University of Melbourne Parkville VIC AustraliaAbstract The modern western Pacific basins and arcs formed during the Cenozoic are considered to be underlain by Indian‐type asthenospheric mantle. Nevertheless, Mesozoic volcanic arcs are rare in the western Pacific, and as a result, the nature of the mantle source and subduction history in the western Pacific remains unclear. The Gagua Ridge constitutes the western boundary of the Philippine Sea Plate; however, its geologic nature and genesis are unclear. Here, we determine whole‐rock major and trace elements and Sr‐Nd‐Pb‐Hf‐Mg isotopic compositions and emplacement ages of the volcanic rocks from the Gagua Ridge. These rocks are classified as trachy‐andesites and basaltic andesites. They are characterized by depletion in Nb‐Ta and enrichment in large ion lithosphile elements, confirming their arc affinity. 40Ar‐39Ar analyses of plagioclase yields ages of 124‐123 Ma for the basaltic andesite group and ∼115 Ma for the trachy‐andesite group. The elevated Zr‐Hf‐K of these rocks coupled with high Th/La ratios indicate melting of subducted sediments. The anomalously high Nb/Ta (mean ∼33) can be explained by slab melting with residual rutile. These rocks also show the highest δ26Mg (−0.14 to 0.4‰) for arc lavas ever reported and the δ26Mg values are coupled with rare earth element compositions, which can be explained by interaction of sediment melts with altered peridotite/altered oceanic crust in the subduction zone. These volcanic rocks have Nd‐Hf isotopes similar to the Pacific mantle, indicating the presence of Pacific‐type mantle in the Early Cretaceous western Pacific.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010424subduction zonesub‐arc mantlesediment meltEarly CretaceousGagua Ridgewestern Pacific
spellingShingle Guoliang Zhang
Ji Zhang
Hayden Dalton
David Phillips
Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
subduction zone
sub‐arc mantle
sediment melt
Early Cretaceous
Gagua Ridge
western Pacific
title Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
title_full Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
title_fullStr Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
title_full_unstemmed Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
title_short Geochemical and Chronological Constraints on the Origin and Mantle Source of Early Cretaceous Arc Volcanism on the Gagua Ridge in Western Pacific
title_sort geochemical and chronological constraints on the origin and mantle source of early cretaceous arc volcanism on the gagua ridge in western pacific
topic subduction zone
sub‐arc mantle
sediment melt
Early Cretaceous
Gagua Ridge
western Pacific
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010424
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